by rote the service of their own church in the ancient Greek; their knowledge, therefore, cannot be founded on their own search for Scriptural truth, seeing they have not had the opportunity of examining for themselves.  In some instances when we have presented to them the New Testament in the modern language, they have said, with a look of anxious gratitude, This is what we want; we priests teach in the churches what we do not ourselves understand.

On the 26th of the Second Month they crossed the sea to Santa Maura, having a delightful passage of eight hours.  Captain McPhail, the governor, a friend of William Allen’s, met them himself with a boat, and conducted them to his house.  He showed them every attention during their short sojourn, and introduced them to those persons whom they desired to see.  They made an interesting call on the bishop;—­

A nice old man, who was many years priest in a village in the mountains, and, what is a wonder, he has been promoted on account of his virtuous life.  He was a good example in his own village, and a great promoter of schools.  The old man is candid enough to confess that he was happier among his rustic peasants than he is now in more refined society.  We gave him the book of Genesis in Modern Greek; and it was highly gratifying to us to see the surprise and pleasure of his countenance on being presented with an account of the Creation and works of the Almighty in his native tongue.  We thought the opportunity favorable for proposing the Scriptures to be read by the clergy in the modern instead of the ancient language.  He made no objection, and appeared to see the great utility which might arise from it.

Something has been said about the semi-barbarism of the Greeks.  What our friends learned respecting crime and violence, whilst in this island, places the manners of the people in a very strong light.

Nothing can show more strongly the demoralized state of these islands than the frightful acts of cruelty done to the cattle out of pure revenge.  One shudders to think of the skinning of beasts alive, cutting off the ears of asses, breaking the legs of horses; yet of these sorts of cruelty not less than 500 acts have been committed in the last four years, and the offenders have escaped being brought to conviction!

This dark picture is happily relieved by some traits of moral beauty.  The narrative of a ride into the mountains of Santa Maura, which J.Y. made under the escort of the governor, proves to how great a degree virtuous and gentle manners grew and flourished in the remoter parts of this island.

3 mo. 1.—­This morning we set out for a ride about nine miles up the mountains to a village called Caria, which contains about 1200 inhabitants, and in the surrounding hamlets there are about the same number.